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School turns into a circus act
By MICHELE MILLER SAN ANTONIO -- When it comes to fun, the circus usually is a sure bet -- particularly when you get to be part of the act. So it was for the students at St. Anthony's Catholic School, who last week learned a little something about juggling and balancing when The Circus of the Kids came to town. The parish hall was bustling with a flock of novice jugglers, all doing their best to keep three colorful scarves (and for some, bean bags) in the air. Of the fifth-graders, Cullen Mahoney took first-place in a juggling contest with a total of 11 successful rotations. Classmate Stefanie Pearson placed a close second with nine. "That was hard," said Cullen, adding that he was looking forward to receiving his prize: a big wad of cotton candy that would be awarded during an afternoon performance featuring professional performers, Steve Tiemens, Avril Barton and Rebecca Lloyd. That show would feature more juggling, a little fire-eating (something not to be tried at home) and some clowning around. But the morning workshops were all about the kids who seemed to be having a good time. While fifth-grader Jacob Ritter weaved around, reeling back and forth as he balanced a peacock feather on his forehead, Bridget Mahoney took a break to proudly show off the stash of circus paraphernalia she had purchased. "I got a clown nose and a smiley face pillow," she said. "And I learned how to juggle with scarves. It was very entertaining." The Circus of the Kids, based in Tallahassee, is in its 19th year of trekking to schools, mostly in east-lying states. Two presentations are offered: a weeklong workshop during which students are taught most facets of the circus -- including acrobatics, clowning, and pitching popcorn and cotton candy -- and a one-day presentation like the one at St. Anthony's. "We must reach about 30,000 kids a year," said circus owner Bruce Pfeffer. "The whole program is educationally based," Pfeffer said. "How? First of all, hand and eye coordination. It teaches perseverance and goal attainment, concentration with the juggling. And the juggling, well that's a skill they can use the rest of their life. "But the number one thing is that is boosts the kids' self-esteem. At first the kids think they can't do it, and suddenly they can." Avril Barton is a Circus of the Kids staffer who teaches youngsters to juggle. After seeing a presentation in the United States, she left her job teaching kindergarten and first-grade students in Cornwall, England, to run the juggling workshop. "I love teaching, and I still get to do that. But there's no paperwork, no planning. I can just have fun. It's great," Barton said. "As a teacher, I think it's an excellent program. The kids are challenged without being overwhelmed," she said. "And the teachers like it. They even get into it, which is great fun. We need a little fun in this profession." Maureen Slone and John Braumuller, whose children attend St. Anthony's, both came to the circus to help out. The Circus of the Kids is offering the daylong program free of charge to Catholic schools, which only must provide volunteers to sell souvenirs and refreshments. "This was a blast, an absolute blast," said Braumuller, the father of third-grader Ashley. His job was to make cotton candy, but he ended up wearing quite a bit of it. "Based on all the hollering and what have you, they're having a great time." "It was terrific, a lot of fun," said Slone, mother of first-grader Kelly. "My daughter had the best time. I was watching her learning to juggle, and she had a smile on her face the whole time."
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